Well I have been taking Ethan, a 9 year old from KY, to try and get him a turkey. He has never hunted before or even fished for that matter. Took him for a 2 hr hunt to LBL and then did some fishing. Got him a largemouth and a 1 lb crappie on his first trip. No turkey though.
So forward to this past Sunday morning about 3 am he was awake well before his wakeup call and ready to go. We arrived at location much too early to get a bead on where they were roosted this time so we waited in the truck and discussed strategy.
No gobbling before daylight so we went to a travel area where I have heard birds before. Gobbler fired off just after 6 and right about 100 yards. He responded to my calls after hitting the ground so I put the calls away and waited. About 8 something the dude sounded off in the field and moved away from us. Boy got a little antsy and I decided to move the blind to the field and put a couple dekes out.
It was nearing 10 am and Ethan was about done. I said we moved the blind and we should at least give it a while. Just a few minutes later I hear a familiar sound moving through the woods. I made a few purrs and clucks and waited. It only took 1 minute for him to step out. I asked Ethan if he could see anything. He got real excited and said "I see a gobbler!" lol I said well get the gun boy! We got him situated and ready. Longbeard was nearly a hundred yards out when he appeared and slowly worked his way to us. The dekes were just over 30 yards out and the bird could not have cared about them one bit. He turned when he got about equal distance to them and started walking back to the woods.
Ethan asked if he should shoot and I said I think he better. I reassured him to calm himself and aim for the neck. He shot. Ethan went flying off his chair. Bird was very much alive and headed out of dodge! I said "boy what are you doing down there?" He replied "did I get him?" while rubbing his shoulder. I about lost it laughing and he did too. I informed him sadly that the longbeard will live to gobble another day. Ethan took the miss very well and vowed not to miss again.
I asked good buddy Roost1 if we should stay or go but he didn't reply in time. Another bird started sounding off and I gave a few yelps. He fired back. He gobbled again closer and the boy was getting excited again. This bird was 300 yards or more before closing to about 80 yards when I saw him. I got video of him gobbling and half strutting his way towards our set up and then right before he stepped in front of us he moved off to the right of the blind and into the thick woods. We heard nothing for a few so I purred on the slate. He let out a gobble that you could feel in your chest at about what could not have been much more than 10 yards. Sadly about 5 minutes later he gobbled about 60 yards down the field and was walking out of our lives.
Well the boy had it and said he wanted to go. As we were packing the blind another different bird started gobbling down in the creek bottom. Ethan did not feel like staying and I felt disappointed as I hate to leave a gobbling bird. I knew not to push him though. With that we called it a season. Next year we will get him one for sure.
Here is the little guy after missing the longbeard.
